RUDYARD — The Mid Peninsula football team fell 76-38 to Onekama Aug. 24 in Rudyard.

“This wasn’t our best showing,” Mid Pen coach Sam Eggleston said. “We failed to execute our plan on defense despite having their offense pretty well mapped out. It’s something that comes with football experience, and we just don’t have enough of that yet.

“We’re still seeing improvement from many players, which is a positive.”

The Wolverines (1-3) stuck with Onekama throughout the first quarter and took a one-point lead in the second, but Onekama hit its stride in the second half, sealing the game.

“We weren’t happy with this outcome, obviously,” Eggleston said. “We have to be able to play four quarters of football, and this week, we got stuck at about a quarter and a half.”

Mid Pen’s Brady VanDamme led through the air, notching 289 yards, five touchdowns and 17-of-39 passes. Michael Englund earned 202 yards and four touchdowns on five receptions. Caleb Lofquist caught six for 55 yards, and Tristin Syers reeled in five and finished with a touchdown.

Syers led the defensive side with eight tackles and seven assists, and Englund collected five tackles, five assists and an interception. Lofquist and Zach McNally both finished with five tackles.

“John Arndt, a freshman, has really started to step up for us and play some strong defense and is our main rotational player on both sides of the line,” Eggleston said. “Zach McNally is proving to be a massive asset to us. He’s fast, and he’s hard-hitting. he also has good hands at the tight end position.

“We can’t say enough positive things about the way Syers is leading us on defense from the linebacker position. He came into this season dedicated to giving it his all, and he definitely has. You always want your linebackers to be the guys who lead the way on defense, and he’s stepped into that role with plenty of energy and drive.”